Laughter and Bonding
by MissFeral
Summary: French brothers Leon and Marcel from the episode "The Brothers" during happier times. Cute brotherly fluff.
Leon and Marcel Paulon were brothers but they were very different from each other. Leon was tall, strong, and was a fighter of the French Resistance. His younger brother Marcel was smaller and handsomer but much less experienced; always freezing in a threat of danger. They grew up the best of friends, though Leon was often busy with work and other affairs.

One day, Marcel returned to the house after a walk in the countryside. He sat on his bed and buried his face in his hands. His palms were sweating and his heart was beating fast. He felt so ashamed. During his walk he had come across a huge glistening spider web. He had stopped to have a look at it. _So much work and time must have gone into building such a magnificent web,_ he had thought to himself. He moved closer to admire the perfectly designed creation.

Suddenly, the big hairy spider came down out of nowhere and landed on his shoulder. Marcel's eyes widened in terror and he let out a yelp, as he quickly brushed the spider away. He then took off running toward the house as fast as he could.

Now here was, alone to stew in his miserable state. How could he let himself be scared away by a little spider? It was so humiliating.

Leon poked his head in the room and smirked. "It is too late in the afternoon for a nap, my brother."

"I was not going to take a nap," Marcel replied.

Leon cocked his head as he studied his little brother. "Why do you seem troubled, Marcel?"

"I cannot speak about it."

Leon strolled over and sat next to Marcel on the bed, giving him a playful punch on the shoulder. "It is a woman, no?" he asked with a coy smile.

Marcel shook his head.

"Come now, tell your brother what is wrong," Leon urged, wrapping a protective arm around Marcel's shoulders.

"It…It was something I saw," Marcel began slowly. "When I went out for a walk. It found me and it touched me…something that made me afraid."

Leon raised an eyebrow and leaned slightly closer. "What was it that frightened you?"

"It was big and hairy…and it had eight legs."

It didn't take Leon very long to figure that out. "A spider, eh?"

Marcel felt his face go hot. He nodded.

Leon chuckled and reached over to ruffle his brother's hair. "Never let an insect get the better of you, Marcel!"

Marcel looked at his big brother. "But Leon…a spider is not an insect."

Leon frowned, looking slightly embarrassed for a moment. Then he laughed heartily and gave Marcel a noogie.

The younger man tried to get away but Leon held him in place and began tickling his neck. Marcel squealed and scrunched up his shoulders in an attempt to block his brother's playful fingers.

"Haha, looks like my little brother needs tickles to make him smile!" laughed Leon, as he dug his fingers into Marcel's sides.

"Ooooh! Hahahahahahaha! Please!" Marcel fell back on the bed and curled up in a ball.

Leon descended upon him, grabbed his wrists and held them up over his head. He grinned evilly at his little brother's terror, fondly remembering the good times they had together when they were kids. Leon used to often play with Marcel by pinning him down and tickling the daylights out of him. But it had been years since he had done it to him. Now was the perfect chance for them both to relive those childhood memories.

" S'il vous plait, Leon! Do not do this!" begged Marcel, as he struggled in vain to pull down his arms.

Leon didn't listen and immediately started poking around in Marcel's armpits with one hand, while he held both his wrists in the other hand.

Marcel burst out laughing and shrieking. "HEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEE! NOOO! THAT TICKLES! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Leon tickled his vulnerable underarms for a while, before scratching along his ribcage; driving him into even more hysterical laughter.

"NO RIB TICKLES! HEEEHEHEHEHEHEEE! STOOOOP! HAAHAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAHAHA! LEON, PLEASE!" Marcel begged through his laughs. He bucked and writhed underneath his brother's powerful form.

Leon wiggled his fingers into the gaps between each rib. He squeezed the delicate ribcage with his strong but gentle hands. Marcel ached with laughter.

"I see somebody is ticklish as ever!" Leon gloated, playfully. "A big, brave, strong man should not be so ticklish. Shame, shame, Marcel!"

Marcel knew his brother's taunts were meant to be playful, but they still got under his skin. He wanted to yell something angry at him, but he couldn't think clearly. He was too busy laughing his head off.

After a few minutes, Leon stopped tickling Marcel so he could catch his breath. He wasn't finished yet, but felt the poor guy needed a short rest.

"No more tickling, Leon. S'il vous plait…I cannot take any more of it," panted Marcel, damp with a light sweat.

Leon grinned mischievously and lifted up Marcel's shirt to reveal his bare stomach and cute little bellybutton.

"No…No! Not my belly!" pleaded Marcel, almost on the verge of tears.

For a moment, Leon considered not doing it. But he soon got over it. "Prepare to laugh like never before!" With that, he dove into the supple belly and tickled it with all ten fingers.

"AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA! STOP PLEASE! S'IL VOUS PLAIT! NO MORE HOOOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOO!" Marcel howled.

Leon began blowing raspberries on his stomach, causing the young man to erupt in an ear-piercing shriek each time those lips made his belly ripple.

Then Leon positioned his big hands on either side of his brother's hips and began drilling his thumbs into the tender hollows.

Marcel continued to beg for mercy through his peals of hysteria. He bucked and squirmed and arched his back.

By the time Leon stopped, Marcel's face had turned bright pink and tears were forming in his tears. Leon moved back and let his exhausted brother catch his breath again.

"Now let's have a go at those feet," said Leon, turning his attention to Marcel's feet which were already bare.

Marcel whimpered. "You have tickled me enough for today! My bare feet won't be able to stand it!" he cried, wiggling his toes in anticipation.

Leon laughed at his attempts to get out of the foot tickling. "Marcel, there is nothing you can do to escape the wrath of Monsieur Tickle Man!"

"Tickle Man? You mean…you mean 'Tickle Monster', do you not?"

"Hmph! Do I look like a _monster?"_ asked Leon, jokingly.

Marcel giggled, despite his current fear.

Leon smiled and ruffled his damp hair. Then he grabbed Marcel's ankles and put them in a headlock. He scribbled his fingers all over the soles of his feet.

Marcel threw his head back and howled with hysterical laughter.

"OOOOOHHH HAHAHAHAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! PLEASE STOOOOP! NOT MY FEET! HEEEEEEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEE!"

Leon chuckled to himself as he tickled his brother's bare soles. The bottoms of Marcel's feet were slightly dirty from walking around outside, but they were soft and beautiful. These were the kind of feet that practically begged to be tickle tortured.

Leon tickled and tickled until he was sure Marcel could handle no more. Then he released his brother's ankles and let him have a long rest. Marcel's cheeks were bright red and flooded with tears. His breathing was heavy and his voice was hoarse when he finally spoke.

"You seem to take pleasure in torturing me," he said, panting.

"I apologize for the discomfort I have caused you, my brother," said Leon, giving Marcel an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder.

"At least you cheered me up. And got me laughing again," Marcel replied with a tired but happy smile.

"I will always help you when you need me," Leon told him, kindly.

The two Frenchmen shared a smile as they walked out of the room together, on their way to wash up for dinner.

The End


End file.
